This application claims the benefit of Taiwanese Patent Application No. 91108174 filed on Apr. 19, 2002, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The present invention relates to the means for network connection, and more specifically, to a multi-function network card for computer system.
In recent years, the computer and Internet technique are dramatically developed with a brisk step due to the improvement of the semiconductor industry, the computer and the communication techniques. The network card allows the user to connect to the bus of World Wide Web or network. Further, the various types of memory cards are popular in these years, such as credit card, bank card, ID card and so on. The memory card is also widely used due to the improvement of the semiconductor technology. The computer periphery devices are also popular for fetching the information via the network in the multi-media environment. The computer periphery devices include but not limited to the scanner, card reader, key board, mouse and so on. Card reader is one of the means for reading the information stored in the card. The card reader has a connector that is connected to the ICs. Based on the report, the memory card user population is dramatically increasing.
Up to now, the present network exhibits only one function and such means cannot provide pluralities of devices connected thereon. Namely, if the means connects to the A device and the user would like to use the B device, the user has to separate the A device first. Then, the user connects the B device, thereby driving the device B. It is very hard for the user to operate the two devices.
If there is a multi-function network card having universal serial bus (USB), the means allows the user to operate at least two devices without separating one of them. It is also easy for portable. However, the power consumption provided by the system USB interface is limited under the USB standard. The prior art adds additional power supply to overcome the problem. The cost is increased and further the prior art it is not convenient for portable.
What is need is to provide a multi-function network card.
An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-function network card.
A multi-function network card has a universal serial bus (USB) interface. A HUB or control circuit is coupled to the USB interface, the HUB or control circuit includes pluralities of ports formed thereon for connecting computer periphery device. A function control circuits is connected to the ports for driving the computer periphery device and pluralities of media attached units respectively are connected to the function control circuit for connecting the computer periphery device. Pluralities of sensor are respectively coupled to the function control circuit or the pluralities of media attached units, wherein the pluralities of sensor may detect whether the computer periphery device is connected or not; and a power control means is connected to the USB interface by a first terminal and connected to the function control circuit by a second terminal.
A method for driving a multi-function network card, wherein the multi-function network card include ports for connecting devices, the method comprising:
detecting the alternation of the status when a computer periphery device connecting to one of the ports by at least one of sensors;
sending a changing signal to a power control means, the power control means determining the connecting status of the computer periphery device;
detecting the power consumption of the computer periphery device base on a signal received by the power control means;
distributing a power to the computer periphery device according to the received signal of the power control means;
distributing the power to a corresponding control circuit for driving the computer periphery device;
communicating a computer system and the computer periphery device with each other via a HUB and a USB interface.